Metal wheel



Feb. 22 1927.

A. L. PUTNAM METAL WHEEL .F'iled June 19, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 .1 IN VEN TOR.

BY New? C. W 1

A TTORNE Y.

A. L. PUTNAM METAL- WHEEL Feb. 22:

Filed June 19, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

BY e. 4 7/0104 A TTORNE Y.

1,618,887 1927' A. L. PUTNAM METAL WHEEL Filed June 19, 1924 3Sheets-Sheet 5 7 qumw INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y.

Patented Feb. 22, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALDEN L. PUTNAM, OF LANSING, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T MOTOR WHEEL CORPORA-TION, 0F LANSING, MICHIGAN.

METAL WHEEL.

Application filed June 19,

My invention relates to metal wheels and the methods of constructingthem, and its purposes are to make a device by means of which the samespider or disk construction may be used in either a front or rear wheelor may be used also in a single wheel or in a double wheel in which twodisks or spiders are employed. A further purpose is to make a device foruse with double wheels such as are used on heavy trucks and the like inwhich the outer wheel or disk may be readily removed withoutloosening-the inside wheel.

While I have shown and described my invention as used in a wheel formedwith tapering spokes as described in my application No. 639,776 filedMay 18, 1923, it may be used equally well with disk wheels of anypreferred type of disk without departing from my invention.

I attain these purposes, by the means shown in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Fig. 1 shows my device as employed with a double diskwheel. Fig. 2 is a section along the line XX of Fig. 1, the hub beingremoved. Fig. 3 is a diametrical sec- -tion of front wheel embodying mydevice to illustrate the interchangeable feature.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is the hub of a wheel which may be of anyapproved type.

2 is an integrally formed flange extended radially outwardly from the1111b 1. The flange 2 is pierced with a plurality of equally spacedopenings adapted to receive studs for holding the wheels in position. 12and 13 are two wheels which may be either constructed of metal spokes,secured together in the manner described in my application Serial No.639,776 filed May 18, 1923, or by welding or in any other suitablemanner, or may be constructed with metal disks of any preferred type.These wheels are pierced near their hub extremities with openings of twodifierent sizes, 5 and 11, which alternate with each other. Theseopenings are as many as the number of openings for studs provided in theflange 2, and are so arranged diametrically in each wheel that when thewheel is reversed so that what was previous ly the outside becomes theinside, openings of the same size will occupy the same relative positionthat they did before the reversal; that is, after reversal a largeopening will 1924. Serial No. 721,072.

occupy the same position that a large open ing did before the reversaland a small opening the same-position that a small opening did beforethe reversal. this that a reversal of either, or both, of the wheelswill leave the stud openings in the wheels in the same relative positionwith reference to the stud openings in the hub. lVhere two wheels are tobe employed as in Fig. 1, making a double wheel. the inner wheel is heldin position by studs 3, which are provided with collars 4 adapted to titthe openings 5 in the inner wheel. The openings 11 in the outer wheelare large enough to receive the nut 6 of the studs 3. By this means itis possible to remove the outer wheel without in any way interferingwith the inner. Since the only purpose of the studs 3 is to hold theinner wheel in position, when the outer is removed, it is not necessaryto have as many of them. I prefer to use three, as shown in Fig. 2 butany other number of studs 3 and openings 11 capable of alternating withthe other openings and of being symmetrically arranged, as abovedescribed, may be employed. If three are used, as shown in the drawings,then it is manifest that each alternate one of the openings 5 will beleft unfilled when the inner wheel is in position.

As already stated, both wheels are pierced with duplicate sets ofopenings. For convenience in description I have arranged these openingsin three sets numbered respectively 5, 9. and 11. The openings 5 and 9are preferably of the same size, the openings 11 being larger in orderto receive tlr nuts 6 of the studs 3. If desired, howevei the openings 5and 9 may be of dilferei sizes. Indeed all the openings may be the samesize, it being only essential that means should be provided forattaching the inner wheel separately to the hub flange in such mannerthat it shall not prevent either the reversal of the wheel or theattaching of the second wheel outside of the first. If different sizesare used the openings 5 need only be sufficient in number, preferablythree, to retain the wheel in position. Any other number, however, maybe employed provided it can be symmetrically arranged on both sides ofthe diameter of the wheel so as to permit a. reversal.

It follows from y It will be understood that the term stud as appliedherein to the fastening means employed is used in-a generic sense toinclude equivalent fastening devices such as nutbolts, lag-screws, andthe like.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. The combination with a hub having a flange, of two wheels adapted tobe interchangeably attached side by side to said flange and eachprovided near its hub opening with a series of openings, and separatesecuring means including sets of studs to cooperate with the series ofopenings providing for detachably securing the wheels to the hub flangeone independently of the other and for the removal of one of the wheelswithout loosening the securing means of the other.

2. The combination with a hub having a flange, of two wheels adapted tobe interchangeably attached side by side to said flange and eachprovided near its hub opening with a series of openings symmetricallyarranged thereabout, and separate securing means for detachably securingthe wheels side by side to the hub flange including sets of studscooperating with the series of openings providing for detachablysecuring either wheel in an inner position to the hub flangeindependently of the other and for the removal of the outer wheelwithout loosen:

ing the securing means of the inner wheel.

3. The combination with a hub having a flange, of two wheels adapted tobe attached side by side to said flange and each provided near .its hubopening with a series of openings, and separate securing means includingsets of headed studs to cooperate with the series of openings providingfor detachably securing the wheels to the hub flange side by side oneindependently of the other and for the removal of the outer wheelwithout loosening the securing means of the inner wheel, the outer wheelhaving openings to accommodate the heads of the securing means for theinner wheel.

4. The combination with a hub having a flange, of two wheels adapted tobe attached side by side to said flange and each provided near its hubopening with a series of openings symmetrically arranged thereabout, andseparate securing means for detachably securing the wheels to the hubflange including series of headed studs cooperating with the series ofopenings providing for detachably securing either wheelin an innerposition to the hub flange independently of the other and for theremoval of the outer wheel without looseningthe securing means of theinner wheel, said wheels each having openings toaccommodate, when usedas an outer wheel, the heads of the securing incans for the inner wheel.

5. The combination with a hub having .a

flange, of two wheels adapted to be attached side by side to saidflange, each wheel being provided near its hub opening wlth a series ofdiflerent sized openings symmetrically arranged thereabout, and separatesecuring means for securing the wheels to the hub flange includingheaded studs cooperating with the series of openings providing fordetachably securing either wheel in an inner position to the hub flangeindepend ently of the other and for the removal of the outer wheelwithout loosening the securing means of the inner wheel, the larger ofsald series of openings being adapted to accommodate the heads of thesecuring means for the inner wheel.

6. A wheel adapted for assembly with the hub flange of a vehicle,comprising a.

wheel body provided near its hub o ening with a plurality of diflerentseries 0 openings symmetrically arranged thereabout, and independentmeans cooperating alternatively with a different series of openingsproviding for detachably securing the wheel to the hub .flange inreverse positions.

7. A reversible wheel adapted for assembly in interchangeable relationwith a hub flange, comprising a wheel body provided 1n symmetricalrelation about its center with a plurality of series of openings toaccomas an outer wheel, another series for inde-,

pendent attaching lugs when used as an inner wheel, and a third seriesto accommodate when used as an outer wheel the ends of the securing lugsfor the inner wheel.

9. A reversible wheel adapted for assembly in interchangeable dualrelation with a hub flange, comprising a wheel body provided insymmetrical relation about its center with three series of openings, thethree series being of diflerent sizes, the intermediate series servingto accommodate the attaching lugs for both wheels, the smallest seriesto accommodate lugs for independent attachment of the inner Wheels, andthe largest series to accommodate within the outer wheelv the heads ofthe attaching studs of the inner wheel.

. ALDEN L. PUTNAM.

